Starter clips for siding boards

ABSTRACT

A mounting clip is used to position and mount a siding board to a portion of a wall disposed adjacent a foundation that supports the wall. The mounting clip includes a base that extends between a top end and a bottom end. The mounting clip also includes a shelf that is fixedly secured to the bottom end of the base. The shelf receives the siding board thereon. The mounting clip also includes an extension that is fixedly secured to the top end of the base extending upwardly away from the base. The extension defines a hole. The hole defines a predetermined distance from the shelf to allow the mounting clip to be fixedly secured to the wall such that the shelf extends down over the foundation to allow the siding board to cover a portion of the foundation as well as a portion of the wall.

BACKGROUND ART

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to devices used to facilitate the construction of buildings. More particularly, the invention relates to clips used to facilitate the positioning and mounting of a siding board of a wall of a building disposed adjacent a foundation of the building.

2. Description of the Related Art

The task of affixing siding to a wall of a building is a labor intensive task. Typically, a crew of three people is required to efficiently cut, position and secure the siding to the wall. A three person crew is required to allow one person to cut the siding and the other two to stand on either side of a piece of siding while it is being positioned and secured. When one end is secured, the other is pivoted about the securing point to ensure the piece of siding is level before the second end is secured. Following that, the siding is secured intermittently therealong. This is undoubtedly a long and labor intensive procedure.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,346, issued to Sickler on Aug. 14, 1979, discloses a lap siding tool (siding as discussed herein shall include siding fabricated from any material, including cement, wood, and the like.) The lap siding tool is generally U-shaped and extends behind a piece of siding to position a piece of siding with respect to another piece of siding. Once the siding is secured in place, the tools are removed and reused. The design of the lap siding tool in this reference is deficient in many regards. First, these tools must be reused, due to their expense in fabrication. Second, there is no way to secure the lap siding tool to a piece of siding. These tools would easily fall off if there was a strong wind or the tools were accidentally bumped once in place. Third, the tools must be removed in a manner which would delay the continued construction of the siding along the wall.

Applicant invented a mounting clip for siding boards, as is described in U.S. patent application having Ser. No. 11/138,988, filed on May 26, 2005. This mounting clip is ineffective for use with a first siding board that is being secured to a wall because it requires a siding board below the board to which it is being secured. Therefore, there is a need for a mounting clip for a first siding board that is mounted to a wall of a building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A mounting clip is used to position and mount a siding board to a portion of a wall disposed adjacent a foundation that supports the wall. The mounting clip includes a base that extends between a top end and a bottom end. The mounting clip also includes a shelf that is fixedly secured to the bottom end of the base. The shelf receives the siding board thereon. The mounting clip also includes an extension that is fixedly secured to the top end of the base extending upwardly away from the base. The extension defines a hole. The hole defines a predetermined distance from the shelf to allow the mounting clip to be fixedly secured to the wall such that the shelf extends down over the foundation to allow the siding board to cover a portion of the foundation as well as a portion of the wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building, partially cutaway, being covered by a siding board by an operator incorporating one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a back view of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a building having a siding board be fixedly secured thereto utilizing the invention; and

FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views showing the invention with the shelf being removed therefrom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the invention, a mounting clip, is generally indicated at 10. The mounting clip is fixedly secured to a wall 12 of a building, generally shown at 14. The building 14 includes a foundation 16 which extends partially out of the ground 18. The mounting clip 10 is used to position and secure a siding board 20 to the wall 12 in a manner allowing a single operator 22 to secure the siding board 20 to the wall 12.

The mounting clip 10 is a starting mounting clip. More specifically, the mounting clip 10 is used to secure a siding board 20 in its lowest most position. The mounting clip 10 is only used for the first siding board 20 secured to the wall 12. The mounting clip 10 is designed to allow the siding board 20 to be secured to the wall 12 while, at the same time, extending over a portion of the foundation 16 covering the intersection of the foundation 16 and the wall 12.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, the mounting clip 10 is shown to include a base, generally shown at 24. The base extends between a top end 26 and a bottom end 28. In the preferred embodiment, the top end 26 is curved. The base further includes an abutment leg 30 and a spacer leg 32. The abutment leg 30 abuts a portion of the wall 12 and a portion of the foundation 16. The abutment leg 30 is flat to facilitate a stable abutment between the building 14 and the base 24.

The spacer leg 32 is spaced apart from the abutment leg 30 at an angle with respect thereto. The spacer 32 and abutment 30 legs create an acute angle. The spacer leg 32 spaces the siding board 20 from the wall 12 and the foundation 16. This may best be seen in FIG. 5. The spacer leg 32 also orients the siding board 20 with respect to the wall 12 and foundation 16.

The mounting clip 10 also includes a shelf 34. The shelf 34 is fixedly secured to the bottom end 28 of the base 24. The shelf 34 receives the siding board 20 thereon. When the mounting clip 10 is secured to the wall 12, the siding board 20 is placed on the shelf 34 allowing the operator 22 to rest the siding board 20 in position with respect to the wall 12 prior to securing the siding board 20 to the wall 12. The shelf 34 includes a holding tab 36. The holding tab 36 helps maintain the siding board 20 on the shelf 34. The holding tab 36 prevents the siding board 20 from slipping off the shelf 34. The holding tab 36 extends out to a distal end 38 which is curved outwardly away from the base 24 to facilitate the ease in placing the siding board 20 in between the base 24 and the holding tab 36. The holding tab 36 may have a little give in its design allowing it to bend and ease into the rotation of the siding board 20 onto the shelf 34 between the holding tab 36 and the base 24.

The mounting clip 10 includes an extension 40 that is secured to the top end 26 of the base 24. The extension 40 extends upwardly away from the base 24 and defines a hole 42. The hole 42 receives a fastener 44, e.g., a nail, therein to secure the mounting clip 10 to the wall. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that fasteners other than nails may be used without deviating from the invention.

The hole 42 in the extension 40 defines a predetermined distance between the shelf 34 and the hole 42. The predetermined distance allows the mounting clip 10 to be fixedly secured to the wall 12 such that the shelf 34 extends down over the foundation 16 to allow the siding board 20 to cover a portion of the foundation 16 as well as a portion of the wall 12.

The extension 40 includes a secondary spacer 46 that is disposed at an angle with respect to the extension 40. The secondary spacer 46 serves two functions. First, the secondary spacer 46 continues with the extension 40 at the same angle that the spacer leg 32 of the base 24 does providing additional support for the siding board 20 when it is to be secured against the wall 12. In addition, the secondary spacer 46 provides additional strength to the extension 40 to facilitate its use in harsh environments of extreme heat and cold.

A relief 48 extends between the base 24 and the shelf 34. More specifically, the relief 48 is disposed at the bottom end 28 of the base 24. The relief 48 defines a breakpoint allowing the operator 22 the ability to break the shelf 34 and the holding tab 36 off of the mounting clip 10 to remove the portion of the mounting clip 10 that is visible after the siding board 20 is secured to the wall 12. The relief 48 defines a width that is less than the width of the base 24 or the shelf 34.

Extending below the shelf 34 is a removal tab 50. The removal tab 50 defines a removal hole 52 that receives a tool 54 therein designed to assist the operator 22 in removing the shelf 34 and the holding tab 36 from the mounting clip 10 after the siding board 20 is secured to the wall 12. Once the shelf 34 and the holding tab 36 are removed from the mounting clip 10, the remainder of the mounting clip 10 stays secured to the wall 12 behind the siding board 20 providing space for ventilation behind the siding board 20 and orienting the siding board 20 at an angle that is aesthetically pleasing by matching it to the remainder of the siding boards to be secured to the wall 12 subsequently thereto.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described. 

1. A mounting clip for positioning and mounting a siding board to a portion of a wall disposed adjacent a foundation supporting the wall, said mounting clip comprising: a base extending between a top end and a bottom end; a shelf fixedly secured to said bottom end of said base for receiving the siding board thereon; and an extension fixedly secured to said top end of said base extending upwardly away from said base, said extension defining a hole, said hole defining a predetermined distance from said shelf to allow said mounting clip to be fixedly secured to the wall such that said shelf extend down over the foundation to allow the siding board to cover a portion of the foundation and a portion of the wall.
 2. A mounting clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base includes an abutment leg and a spacer leg, whereby the abutment leg abuts the wall and foundation, and the spacer leg spaces the siding board from the wall and foundation.
 3. A mounting clip as set forth in claim 2 wherein said extension includes a secondary spacer disposed at an angle with respect to said extension.
 4. A mounting clip as set forth in claim 3 including a relief at said bottom end to provide a break point for removing said shelf when the siding board is secured to the wall.
 5. A mounting clip as set forth in claim 4 including a removal tab fixedly secured to said shelf for aiding in the removal of said shelf when the siding board is secured to the wall.
 6. A mounting clip as set forth in claim 5 including a holding tab fixedly secured to said shelf for holding the siding board on said shelf.
 7. A mounting clip as set forth in claim 6 wherein said holding tab extends out to a distal end.
 8. A mounting clip as set forth in claim 7 wherein said distal end curves outwardly and away from said base. 